Earthquakes goalkeeper Pat Onstad was the Earthquakes Man of the Match and earned MLS Honda Player of the Week honors for his outstanding performance in the net against D.C. United on April 10. Onstad made five saves, several of them outstanding, as he recorded his first shutout of 2004 and his tenth career clean sheet. Two days after the match, Onstad talked with SJEarthquakes.com.
After some time away from Saturday's match, what are your thoughts about the team's performance against Chicago?
Pat Onstad: "I thought we played pretty well. We certainly played better than we did in D.C., so that is encouraging. It is disappointing though, because when we are playing at home we expect to win and we really went into that game expecting to get three points, so we are a little upset about just getting one."
Compared to other seasons in your career, how would you rate your early-season form in the first two games of the season?
PO: "I think the biggest difference this year is that I had a full preseason with the team, so my heart is not pounding when I get in between the posts. Mentally, having played with the team last year and being with the team the entire preseason, it makes a huge difference because I am that much more comfortable and ready for anything."
After their first two games the Quakes are winless and have not scored a goal in the run of play. Are you and the team concerned about this?
PO: "Of course we are a little concerned about it, but we are not worried. The important thing is that we have been getting opportunities. Some of the time we have been the victims of good defending, but we have created a lot of chances for us to score goals and that is the main thing. If we hadn't been doing that, then I think we would be a lot more concerned."
Due to injuries and suspensions, the Quakes have not been able to play with the same defensive personnel in front of you in the first two games. Does this affect your game at all?
PO: "The good thing about this team is that everyone is able to step in. Everyone knows we play a 4-4-2 and that is what we work on in practice, so even if we change personnel, we are not changing the system. With this team, it is not a big change no matter whom we put back there. We have so much depth that I have a lot of confidence in whoever is playing defense in front of me."
Looking ahead to this Saturday's match-up with New England, what do you expect from the Revs?
PO: "New England is coming off a 3-2 loss to L.A. in their first game, and they are going to playing in front of their home crowd for the first time this year, so we know that they are going to be pumped up and coming at us. We were a really strong road team all last season, though, and I think that now it is time for us to pick it up and return to that form and just keep coming at them from the beginning."
